Kaname is Low, Yuuki is High
by gunnergoob
Summary: Yuuki mysteriously goes missing and Kaname loses his grip!
1. The Uniform, Watch Aido Squirm

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.

Kaname is Low, Yuuki is High

The sun was beginning to set over Cross Academy on another long school day. The day classes had just ended and soon it would be time for night classes to start. While the Day Class girls prepared to go hover around the Moon Dorm gates, the Night Class students were doing some preparation of their own for their scheduled dorm inspection.

"Hanabusa, you better not have anything in our room that Kaname will slap you for," Akatsuki said casually in his deep monotone as the two walked down the hallway of the Moon Dorms.

"I don't understand why I should be punished for my admiration..." Aido replied indignantly.

Their conversation dwindled with the sound of approaching footsteps. "Aido, Kain. I expect your room is in order," Kaname stated without inflection. His eery calm always brought with it an ominous feeling and this moment was no different. Akatsuki took a deep breath as he prepared himself to pick up whatever pieces of his cousin would be left if Kaname was displeased with their room. Kaname walked ahead of them and entered the bedroom. Aido and Akatsuki followed.

Upon entering behind Kaname and Aido, Akatsuki quickly surveilled the room for anything that might infuriate the dorm president. He didn't see anything immediately, but when he looked toward Aido's closet he saw some crumpled clothes on the floor. He studied them for a moment before realizing that it was a Day Class uniform. A _girl's_ Day Class uniform.

It was too late. Kaname's eyes were already fixated on the black skirt and jacket, the white shirt, and red tie. Akatsuki took another deep breath for a lack of anything better to do. Kaname turned to Aido and stared at him for a moment with an indecipherable expression before saying "Whose uniform is this on the floor, Aido, and where is _she _now?"

Aido, having noticed the uniform himself only a moment before, put his hands up in surrender and frantically shook his head. "I have no idea whose uniform that is, Kaname-sama!! I swear I don't know anything about it!!"

Kaname was seconds away from slapping the confusion off Aido's panicked face when a calm voice came from the doorway, "The uniform belongs to that little prefect." The boys' attention shifted to the door where Ruka was standing in the entrance. "I saw her come into the dorms, but I didn't see her again after that." She continued before any of them had a chance to ask, "I figured she was just doing the inspection. I didn't know she and Aido had a thing going," she said with a laugh moving her gaze to Aido. "Leave it to a human to be stupid enough to get mixed up with you." She continued to stare at Aido with a look of satisfaction on her face before looking to see Kaname's reaction. She hoped that prefect's reputation was on the line and that Kaname would end his ridiculous affection for the simple little girl.

Kaname's face was emotionless, but suddenly there was a large crack and Aido, Akatsuki, and Ruka's eyes shifted to the sound. They found the source: Aido's bed frame was caving in on itself, snapping the wooden slats, his mattress exploding in a symphony of tearing fabric and loosening springs. The three surprised vampires looked back at Kaname whose rigid body had not moved an inch. His eyes practically bored holes through Aido's face as he asked, slowly enunciating each word, "Where is Yuuki?" His voice remained controlled and even, but the room was filled with a sense of imminent danger that all three of them could detect. Akatsuki and Ruka stayed frozen in place thinking that if they even took a breath Kaname's wrath might be directed at them. Aido was reduced to a panicked frenzy.

"Kaname-sama, I promise I'm telling the truth! I have not seen Yuuki-cha--I mean, the prefect, today! I mean, I have never seen her at all like that! W-well, definitely not like _that, _but what I'm trying to say is that there is _nothing _between me and Yuu--that prefect..." Aido trailed off nervously feeling that he could not save himself.

Kaname, still clearly dissatisfied as evidenced by his deteriorating composure, pressed no further knowing that Aido would've told the truth under his powerful influence. He stormed out, Ruka narrowly dodging him as he exited the bedroom. Kaname hesitated in the hall a moment deliberating. He looked to his left way down the hall to see two suspicious Night Class girls giggling. Upon meeting his threatening gaze they went silent and hurried around the corner out of sight.

Kaname stalked off leaving Ruka, Akatsuki, and Aido free to breathe again. Aido walked to his bed with a look of remorse and horror on his face over its condition. His mouth was gaping as if he wanted to say something, but he was dumbfounded by the pile of sharp wood and metal springs sprinkled with pieces of fluff. Ruka and Akatsuki stood by watching him.

"Think of it as another treasure," Akatsuki said dryly.


	2. Frownies and Brownies

_Yuuki, I need you to do the dorm inspection on your own today. Do you think you can manage that?_

_ Sure, Chairman, but why won't Zero be helping?_

_He has an assignment from the Hunters Association that he cannot forego._

Yuuki remembered the stress on the Chairman's face as he spoke of Zero, so as she walked toward the Moon Dorms she chastised herself for thinking that somehow Zero always managed to shirk his responsibilities as a prefect. The truth was he had much more difficult tasks to manage and she felt stupid for even thinking like she did. What did she have to worry about?

At that thought, images of a bloodthirsty Zero desperately clinging to her flashed through her mind. She could also see the inexplicable look of pain and loneliness on Kaname's face, an expression that he generally wore whenever he looked at her. She was plagued with hallucinations and the constant fear and longing for the truth behind her past. And to top it all off, she was pretty sure she just failed her math test.

She let out a sigh as she approached the Moon Dorm gates. She started feeling nervous after she was allowed to enter by the gatekeeper. And even more so upon seeing Ruka Souen glaring down at her from a second story window. That girl always made her feel nervous. But as a prefect this was her job, she reminded herself, and her job dictated that she arrive early for inspection to catch things before they were hidden away. She was early to the Sun Dorms and the Moon Dorms would get the same treatment.

* * *

"This has to be the most boring school in the country," one of the Night Class girls stated dully.

"I couldn't agree more. It would be bearable if the Headmaster would let us leave campus every once in a while. Trying to get permission to get away from here is enough to make you regret ever wanting to go anywhere in the first place," replied another.

Four beautiful vampires were lounging in one of the girls' dorm room. The bedroom door clicked open and none of the vampires even acknowledged the sound or removed the looks of boredom from their faces as the intruder spoke. "I have something that I think will make tonight actually feel like a Friday night," Rima said in a whisper, while closing the door behind her.

One of the girls slowly set down her magazine in her lap and gazed up at Rima with a look of feigned excitement and sarcastically remarked, "Oh, Rima! Have you news from the outside world?! What amazing things are happening in the city?! I know for sure that one of your riveting tales of the modeling industry will lift my spirits and restore hope to my heart!"

The other three laughed to themselves for a moment before turning on Rima once again. "Is it not enough that you get to leave this godforsaken place for your modeling job, you have to come flaunt it in our faces?" asked the long-haired brunette, Aiko.

"Fine then, if you don't want any, I will leave..." Rima stated simply.

"Want any what?" one of the girls, Hikari, asked turning her attention to the container Rima was pulling from her designer bag.

"Brownies," Rima replied emotionless.

"Brownies?"

All four girls were sitting up now, staring at Rima with puzzled expressions. Rima stared back at them for a moment, really enjoying the naivety of her friends, before speaking, "Yes. Brownies. _Special _Brownies, if you catch my drift."

"Rima! Are you serious?! Where did you get something like that?!" the third girl, Kasumi, questioned with a mixture of shock and excitement after catching on.

"A friend from work."

"We are going to get caught!"

"No, we won't, Megumi, if you guys can keep your voices down. Nobody saw them, because they've been in my bag and there will be no smell to give it away. We just stay up here, have some brownies, and the evidence is gone when we finish the last one."

"And after the effects wear off, of course..." Aiko added.

"Exactly. That's why we just need to stay here in this room," Rima said with authority.

"What about classes in an hour?" Megumi asked looking concerned.

"Well, if Ethics really means that much to you, by all means don't let us keep you," Aiko replied sarcastically.

Megumi blushed and the girls silently came to a consensus before pulling Rima, brownies in hand, onto one of the beds where the five of them sat in a circle around the fairly large container.

"Ok, who wants to eat one first?" Kasumi asked while pulling the lid off.

They all looked at each other on the verge of laughter. "Let's all eat one at the same time," Hikari suggested. So, one by one they passed around the brownies each taking one before setting the container back in the middle of the circle.

"Ok here it goes..." Megumi started. They all put the brownies up to their mouths for the first bite when suddenly...

"Dorm Inspection!" an authoritative, but girly voice announced on the other side of the door.

The five girls fumbled with their brownies, scrambling to get them all back in the container. Rima quickly shut the lid on the brownies and shoved the container under a pillow.

"Come in" she said breathless from the sudden panic.

The door opened and Yuuki Cross was there standing in the entrance of the dorm room. Rima stood up , the other girls, following her lead, also got up off the bed. But when Kasumi stood up she knocked a pillow off the bed, the pillow that covered the container of brownies, no less. The movement caught the prefect's eye and after studying the container for a moment she immediately turned her attention to the five vampires in the room. "What is in that container there?" she asked while pointing at the brownies. Rima was frozen in place still not believing that Kasumi could be so careless.

Kasumi reached over the bed and picked up the container and held it out in front of her. "They are brownies that I got today," she said feigning innocence.

Yuuki put her hands on her hips and in an all too eager manner, no doubt part of her training from the headmaster, began to lecture, "Food is strictly prohibited in dorm rooms. You have a common area downstairs and there is also the dining hall on campus. So I'm going to need you to take the food elsewhere or I will have to confiscate it."

After finishing her speech, Yuuki stood there expectantly, hoping that she would not be challenged by the beautiful and intimidating creatures before her. However, being vampires, the girls could still detect her faint anxiety.

Kasumi walked over to Yuuki with the brownies in hand. "Aw, Cross-san, will you let us have our brownies in here if we share them with you?" she implored. The other girls tried to stifle giggles with the exception of Rima whose eyes were widened in shock. _Feeding pot brownies to the school prefect?! Has she lost her mind?!_

Rima couldn't act quickly enough to stop her dim-witted friend before she pressed further. "Please, prefect, my mom made them and had them delivered here specially for me. They are the best. It would mean so much to me if you would try one and tell me what you think," Kasumi continued sensing the weakness behind Yuuki's authoritative stance.

Yuuki hesitated, but then decided this would be a good point to bring up in the vampires' defense against Zero or whomever, to show that friendly relations could be had between vampires and humans. That, and she really did love brownies...

"U-um. I guess I'll try it," she faltered, "but then do you promise to take them downstairs?" she said trying to restore her authority.

"We promise. Don't we, guys?" Kasumi asked looking around at the others. If looks could kill, Kasumi would've been a mist of crystallized shards in the air under Rima's intense glare. But it was too late. Yuuki was taking a magic brownie from the the container that Kasumi had presented to her as Aiko, Hikari, and Megumi all stared in anticipation. Rima thought to herself: _We are so screwed._

"This is really good..." Yuuki said through a mouthful of brownie.

"Really? My mom will be so happy when I tell her!" Kasumi continued her charade among the smirks of the girls around her. Rima went to the door and looked out in the hallway to make sure the coast was clear before shutting it and turning her thoughts to what she was going to do with the soon to be high prefect.

"Cross-san? Will you excuse us a moment?" Rima asked as she grabbed Kasumi by the arm and led her to the closet. Yuuki nodded her head as she finished the last bite of her brownie.

Once they were in the closet, Rima closed the door and in an angry whisper berated Kasumi. "What the hell were you thinking?! What are we supposed to do now?! We can't let her go roam the halls like that!"

"Calm down! I just thought it wold be funnier than if we all just sat around and ate them."

"Well I hope you got your laugh, because now we have to figure out what we are going to do! We need to get her out of here before someone finds out."

"Well, then let's do that," Kasumi suggested.

"We can't kidnap a prefect and just leave campus...." Rima replied infuriated by Kasumi's stupidity. "Wait! That's perfect," Rima began talking to herself at this point. "The prefect is the one that takes roll to the attendance office, so if she's not there, there is no evidence that we weren't in class the whole time. She's also the only one we would have to worry about if we tried to leave campus. I saw the other prefect in town today, probably doing some Association crap, so she's it. We just give her a couple more of those brownies and she'll be completely out of it. We can take her with us into the city and no one will know and no one will try to stop us!"

"Then we can have some real fun!" Kasumi added in concurrence.

"Just as long as we get her back here before sunrise!"

"But how are we going to sneak her out of here?" Kasumi questioned.

Rima thought about it before realizing the answer was right in front of her face. One of Kasumi's spare Night Class uniforms.

"Kasumi, grab one of those uniforms and let's go get a couple more brownies in that prefect."


	3. White Skirts and High Flirts

"There...you look just like one of us," Kasumi said satisfactorily.

Yuuki looked over the white jacket and skirt and spun around. "Woooohh!! Hahaha! This skirt looks pretty when I _shake_ it!"

The Night Class girls had managed to get three brownies in the prefect without much trouble, especially after she had the first two. They only had one themselves because Yuuki refused to eat the second one if they didn't have one too. They decided it would be best not to have anymore until they made it off campus undetected.

"You know what?! Hey, hey, Ka-Kasumi, you know what??"

"What, Yuuki?" Kasumi asked, chuckling under her breath. All five vampires were on the verge of uncontrollable laughter as they waited expectantly for Yuuki to finish her thought.

Yuuki got right up in Kasumi's face so that their noses were almost touching. Kasumi leaned back so that Yuuki wouldn't be so close, but Yuuki put her hand on the top of Kasumi's head and pulled her face back in again. "No, no, listen Kasumi!" she said in an exaggerated whisper. "I don't want anyone else to hear this," Yuuki continued, but her whisper was so loud the other four could still hear her perfectly. They were all leaning in eagerly and laughing amongst themselves as they watched Yuuki's behavior and waited. "Kasumi?"

"Yes, Yuuki?" Kasumi replied as if she was speaking to a talkative toddler.

"I think your mom put something in those brownies," Yuuki whispered with the most serious expression she could muster in her current condition.

All the girls in the room, with the exception of Yuuki, burst into hysterical laughter. They were falling over themselves as Yuuki started up again.

"Hey, guys!" Yuuki said ruefully. "I'm serious..." she said and then paused a moment to think about that statement. Then she burst into laughter herself. "Kasumi, I'm just trying to let you know that your mother may not be—may not be the person you think she is!"

The girls just laughed even harder. Megumi was practically crying in Rima's lap. Rima was wiping tears out from under her own eyes as she started to speak, "Guys, I think we need to take this party off campus before we're discovered."

"You're right!" Hikari said as she struggled to get up off the floor. "Ok, grab the brownies and let's get out of here."

"Where are we going?!" Yuuki asked as she clasped both of her hands together in excitement. "Wait!" she corrected, "I'm supposed to be doing dorm inspection!" Yuuki started laughing to herself as she thought about finishing her dorm inspection like she was. The other girls ignored her question and continued to talk amongst themselves.

"Wait, what are we going to do with Yuuki's uniform?!" Megumi asked sitting up.

"I know what we should do!!" Aiko jumped in. "What if we--" she broke off and started laughing to herself. "What if we put her uniform in one of the guys' rooms so it looks like they... you know--" she cut off again laughing hysterically.

"Haha! Aiko, that is genius!" Kasumi said laughing. "What guy do we know that is the most likely to do that?" They thought about it for a moment before looking at each other and saying in unison, "...Aido!"

Then they broke down into fits of laughter again.

"Ok, come on guys, let's go!" Rima said impatiently as she walked over to Yuuki who was wide-eyed and curious as to what was happening. Rima put her arms around Yuuki's shoulders and tried to get her attention as Yuuki was distracted, once again, by her white skirt. "Ok, Yuuki...Yuuki? We are going to need you to be quiet as we leave the dorms. Do you think you can do that?"

"Yup!" Yuuki said confidently as she twirled out of Rima's grip. "But where are we going?!"

"We are going to go have some fun in the city. Don't you want to come with us?" Rima said, baiting Yuuki.

"Yeah! That sounds like fun! Actually..." Yuuki started laughing again, "everything sounds like fun right now. What did you guys do to me?!" She started falling to the floor with laughter and Rima ran to her and put Yuuki's arm around the back of her neck and started to walk her towards the door while shushing her.

They all huddled up at the door waiting for Rima's instructions. "Ok, Hikari, you are going to walk a few steps ahead and check around corners and stuff to make sure the coast is clear. I'll walk with Yuuki. Megumi, you help me keep her quiet and under control. Kasumi and Aiko, you follow and watch our backs." They all listened, a little distractedly, but nevertheless anxious and excited to have some fun.

"Wait," Kasumi said, "Aiko and I want to put the uniform in Aido's room real quick. It's gonna be so funny!"

"We don't have time! And what if you guys get caught?" Rima countered.

"Sure we do and we won't get caught! You guys wait here while Aiko and I go. We'll be right back and we can check and make sure no one's around while we are out there. You can't argue with that logic," Kasumi was fidgeting with bubbling anticipation.

"Fine, but _hurry_!"

* * *

Aiko and Kasumi had made it to Aido's room without causing any suspicion. Aiko had the uniform bundled up as inconspicuously as possible under her arm and the one or two vampires that walked past didn't pay them any attention at all. They were trying so hard to keep their laughter bottled up.

They approached Aido and Kain's room and decided to knock on the door and then run and hide around the nearby corner to see if either one of them were in there. So, Aiko knocked on the door and the two girls couldn't contain themselves any longer and burst into laughter as they ran around the corner. They put their hands up over their mouths to stifle their laughter long enough to hear if anyone would open the door. After a moment of near silence, because they were still quietly giggling, they snuck back around and silently turned the door knob. Kasumi slowly opened the door and stopped once she had it open far enough to peek in.

When she looked in she saw that neither Kain or Aido were in the room. "Give me the uniform and I'll put it in the room while you stand guard," Kasumi whispered to Aiko. Aiko handed over the bundled uniform and Kasumi tip-toed into the bedroom. She walked over to the side of the room she assumed was Aido's because of the picture on the nightstand of a young Aido draping himself around an equally young, but nevertheless stoic looking Kaname. She scattered the uniform on the floor between the bed and the closet and started laughing to herself as she did, all too pleased with Aiko's idea.

"Kasumi, I hear someone coming around the corner!! C'mon, c'mon!!" Aiko whispered into the room with a mixture of fear and that ever present desire to start laughing.

Kasumi immediately turned and ran out the door. They closed it back like it was and started sprinting back down the long end of the hall. They didn't make it to the end before they heard Aido and Kain talking to one another. They slowed down and started walking at a normal pace as not to attract any attention from the two boys, then they heard Kaname's voice as they turned the corner at the opposite end of the hall. "Aido, Kain. I expect your room is in order," the girls heard him say as they peeked their heads around the corner and looked down the long hallway to see the three of them enter Aido and Kain's room.

They quickly concealed themselves behind the corner as they started uncontrollably laughing again.

"Hahaha! Oh my god!" Aiko gasped still trying to maintain a whisper, "Kaname-sama is--" she started, but couldn't catch her breath. "Kaname-sama is checking their room!!!"

Kasumi was a pile of tears and silent laughter next to Aiko. She had her body pressed into the wall for support as she tried to collect herself. Suddenly they heard a loud crack followed by the strangest noises. They stared at each other wide-eyed and then stood up and quietly stepped out from behind the wall, scared about the consequences of what they just did. They saw Kaname storm out of the room and stop in the hallway. They were frozen in place unable to move, when Kaname suddenly looked up at them. The two girls started giggling again without being able to help themselves as they ran back behind the protection of the wall. And they continued to run back to their room to tell the others what had just happened.

When they burst into the room. The girls all jumped in surprise. Yuuki looked like she was doing a pole dance on one of the tall bed posts and their sudden entrance did not stop her from arching her back and sliding against it down to the floor. This only made them laugh harder as they tried to tell Rima, Hikari, and Megumi about what they just saw.

"We better get out of here, Kaname-sama looked _pissed_!" Aiko said through yet another fit of laughter.

"Yeah, I thought we should've left earlier, remember?" Rima said letting her frustration show. She walked over to Yuuki and separated her from her rather intimate relationship with the bed post and carted her to the door.

"Wait a minute! I wasn't finished doing my dance!" Yuuki mumbled as Rima pulled her out the door.

"Ok, Yuuki, remember this is the part where you are quiet. If you stay quiet, we'll take you dancing in the city!" Rima assured her.

"Ooooohhh!" Yuuki exclaimed a little too loudly. "Oops," she said in a whisper as Rima went to cover her mouth. "I'll be quiet now, I promise."

She was quiet, but stumbling as the six of them walked cautiously through the empty hall. Then she started up again, "I feel just like a vampire in this uniform! Maybe I am a vampire!" she whispered excitedly. "Hey Rima, can I bite you and see if I am?"

Just then another couple of Night Class students walked down the hall. "Shhhh," Rima said as low as possible into Yuuki's ear. Yuuki responded by turning her head to face Rima and with her mouth gaping, took a dive for Rima's neck. Rima pushed her head away from her hoping to conceal her identity in the process. Then she laughed nervously as the passing vampires eyed them curiously, but they kept walking. The girls just made it out the side door of the Moon Dorms as Yuuki said, "Yeah... Rima? All I got was a mouthful of your shoulder. Can we try that again?"


	4. Hairspray and Shiki's Day

"Shiki-san! We need to finish the shoot! You can't leave now," a frantic photographer shouted at the gorgeous, but now tired vampire as he walked away from the studio.

"I'm going to be late for class if I don't go," Shiki replied calmly as he continued to walk away.

As he ambled back to his dressing room with his hands in his pockets, he thought about Rima and how she always managed to charm the photographers and designers into doing whatever she wanted without any hassle. She always managed to get _him_ to do whatever she wanted too. He never questioned her, because she never asked too much, not that he wouldn't do whatever it was that she asked however great or small.

He thought to himself about how similar their personalities were, how laid back and easy going Rima was, and how whenever craziness seemed to surround them, together they could stay contentedly indifferent. Rima was sensible and responsible. She was drama-free and he thought about how much he liked that and how different she was from all the other girls. The more he thought about her, the more he missed her even though he had last seen her earlier in the day when she was at the studio.

He walked into his dressing room to see his hair stylist, Akiko, collecting all his tools and hair products and putting them back into his case. Shiki was too disengaged to start up any small talk so he just walked past Akiko to go get his clothes off the hanger and change. While he was sifting through the racks of clothes, he noticed that Akiko kept eyeing him strangely and out of the corner of his eye, Shiki thought he could see the usually energetic and talkative Akiko holding back a smile, something he wouldn't generally do. Shiki decided to ignore it, too exhausted to care, and went to change clothes.

When he walked back into the dressing room, Akiko was all packed up and he was heading out the door. As he was about to leave, he stopped in the doorway and turned toward Shiki and said, "You and Rima have fun tonight! Don't get too crazy!"

The stylist's statement had pulled him from his reverie and now Shiki was alert and confused. "Excuse me?" Shiki asked. What was Akiko implying?

Akiko walked closer to him and looked around as if someone might be watching them before saying in a low voice, "Just don't eat too many. They taste good, but if you get ahead of yourself, you poor little things won't know up from down when you come back around! Trust me, I know from experience!" He laughed and put a hand on Shiki's shoulder to steady himself.

Shiki just looked at him even more puzzled. "What are you talking about?" he asked, feeling like Akiko was losing his mind or something.

"What do you _think_ I'm talking about," he went back to a whisper, "the baked goods, of course! Boy, you really do make me think twice about those studies saying flash photography isn't good for models' brain development...either that or I need to keep the hairspray more than six inches away from your head from now on!" Akiko continued to laugh at his own jokes while Shiki stared at him in confusion.

"I don't know what 'baked goods' you are talking about and what does Rima have to do with this?" Shiki was getting frustrated now on top of being tired and possibly late for classes.

Akiko looked at Shiki for a moment, confused himself now, before saying "Oh, child, you really don't know what I'm talking about do you? I'm sorry nevermind me...I just assumed since you and Rima are always attached at the hip...well, I better shut my mouth. I'll see you later Shiki, don't forget to keep that solution on your hair for fifteen minutes before you wash it. Ciao!" Akiko, who had now talked himself into a frenzy, pivoted and headed for the door again.

"Wait a second..." Shiki called after him, causing Akiko to stop in the doorway. His back was still to Shiki, but Shiki could sense that Akiko didn't want to continue this conversation. He was going to get someone in trouble, but Shiki had to know why Rima was involved and in what.

Akiko reluctantly turned and tried to play dumb and innocent, "Yes, Shiki-kun?"

"Tell me what you were talking about. What is Rima up to?" Shiki said with authority ignoring his stylist's attempt to brush him off.

"Alright, I give in!" he exclaimed, even though Shiki really didn't have to do much to get it out of him.

"I was just fixing Rima's hair, like I always do, and somehow we got on the subject and I told her--"

"The subject of what?" Shiki interjected.

"Well, geez, you are gonna make me say it? People might hear, I've got a reputation to keep you kn--"

"Just spit it out!" Shiki said exasperated. He was annoyed now.

"Well, weed, if you must know..." Akiko looked at Shiki with an expression like _Are you happy now?_

Shiki just stared at him dumbfounded. He was barely paying attention as Akiko started up again.

"So, as I was saying...we were talking about it and she said she might like to try it and I don't blame her, that's what you young models do. You're like moths to a flame when it comes to that sort of thing, what with the parties and the shows. So, I told her I know someone with some good stuff and I could get her some if she was interested. I suggested the brownies because then there's no smell or anything, plus I love to make brownies--did I tell you I like to bake in my spare time, Shiki-kun?--well, not like I have any spare time, but anyhow, I brought Rima the goods and gave her some warnings about them, you know, just to be discreet and all, I don't want my sweet Rima to get a black mark on her reputation, after all she is my little starlet. She does the pouty look so beautifully she's got every cosmetic company after her signature..."

Shiki had to blink a few times as if to let all that process before he spoke. "So you're telling me you gave Rima brownies with pot in them?"

"Shhhh, not so loud," Akiko chastised him.

"Why would you do that?!" Shiki was incredulous.

Akiko was taken aback, but defensive, "Well, she was curious, and better to have someone you know and trust hook you up. I didn't want her getting it from some shady dealer."

"So if Rima told you she wanted to try heroine, would you get her that too?! Tell me do you have a set of sterile needles on you?!"

"Oh, Shiki-kun, you exaggerate! Of course not, but this is different. Geez, now I know why she didn't tell you. You should really have a brownie yourself, that is if you can be nice enough that I'll get you one. Maybe I'll make an exception, because for you it'd be considered medicinal, with you being so uptight and all..."

"I don't believe this..." Shiki said ignoring Akiko's jabs. He stormed passed Akiko and walked out the door.

Akiko called after him, "Don't be a buzzkill, Shiki-kun!"


	5. Kaname's Pissed and Yuuki is Missed

Kaname was never one to get flustered, but as he strode back to his bedroom his mind was a blur. Where was Yuuki? What had happened to her? Who was responsible? What if he didn't find her, or worse, found her as anything but the smiling, energetic girl she was? This had never been a problem before. Yuuki was always under his watchful eye, and when he couldn't be there he counted on the Chairman and Zero to keep her safe. How had she slipped past his radar?

There had to be a simple explanation as to why her clothes were in Aido's room, although he couldn't think of any reason simplistic enough to satisfy his querying mind. It might not even be her uniform afterall. Ruka had said she'd seen her, but that didn't mean it was Yuuki's. The only thing he knew at this point was that he had to find her, before he lost himself to the thoughts that threatened to take over his mind. Even if it wasn't Aido, what if another Night Class guy had-

_CRACK! _His tall bedroom door split down the center as he approached it, not completely destroying it, but leaving an unsightly fracture down the length of it. He tried to calm himself and regain control so that his powers would stop finding an outlet through his emotions, but it was getting harder every passing moment that this mystery went unsolved.

He entered his room and stood there with his head in his hand. He knew the idea of vampires and humans co-habitating was a risky idea from the beginning, but he didn't worry too much about it because he didn't think anyone would dare misbehave in his presence. He didn't think it was likely that any irreversible damage would be done to any of the humans, least of all to Yuuki. After all, that was one of the reasons he agreed to the formation of this academy, he would be able to stay close to her and keep her safe. He let his hand drop back down to his side and he stood up straight again. He needed to act now, and think later.

As if their thoughts were on the same wavelength, Seiren appeared before him. She briefly knelt before rising back to her feet and asking, "What is your command, Kaname-sama?"

He let out an exasperated sigh before deciding. "I am cancelling classes. No one goes in or out of this building. And I want to know if anyone from the Night Class, or the Day Class for that matter, is missing..." he said, thinking it might be another Day Class girl's uniform, if it wasn't Yuuki's.

As he was speaking Kaname sensed the presence of three cautious vampires behind him. Seiren looked around Kaname's shoulder to see Ruka, Kain, and Aido standing in the doorway. She noticed Aido's expression was fearful, but determined and before she had the time to contemplate the reasoning behind this, Aido burst into the room and started pleading behind Kaname's towering frame.

"Kaname-sama, please forgive me! I know based on my past, it might seem like I'm the culprit, but I promise I wouldn't do anything to Yuuki-chan! I know you care for her and I-"

"That's enough, Aido" Kaname interrupted calmy, despite the turmoil growing inside him. Then he turned to face them, Seiren at his side. "The three of you, search the campus for Yuuki and anyone else that Seiren discovers is missing." Then he strode past them out the door. The four of them watched as their stoic leader walked away.

The more he thought about it, the more Kaname tried to convince himself that he was overreacting. He didn't have any strong evidence that Yuuki was actually missing other than the uniform on the floor and the fact that she had not shown up for the scheduled dorm inspection. It was possible that she was just on campus somewhere as usual, and he had let his fears get the best of him. He never took anything that involved Yuuki lightly, and this was no exception.

Since Day Classes were over and Kaname had authority over the Night Class, the Chairman was no longer in his office, but instead he was at his home on campus. Kaname walked up to the front door and lightly knocked, once more trying to convince himself that Yuuki would be on the other side. To his disappointment, the Chairman opened the door, looking surprised to see him there.

"Ah, Kaname-kun! Come in! What brings you here? I'm just about to start making dinner, would you like to join us?" the Chairman asked with his usual energy.

"_Us?_" Kaname asked, relief tinging his heart as he walked into the house. "Is Yuuki here?"

"Not at the moment, but I expect her back from the dorm inspection soon. I'm waiting for Zero-kun to return too. I thought I'd make them a nice meal for all their hard work. Why don't you come help me cook and stay for dinner?"

"Yuuki didn't show up for the dorm inspection. That's why I'm here. I was hoping you would know where she was." Kaname said, now visibly distressed. The Chairman wasn't used to seeing Kaname in this state, so he tried to reassure him.

"Well, I don't know why Yuuki would miss a scheduled dorm inspection, but she is a smart and responsible girl. Whatever reason she has is probably very important. I wouldn't worry, Kaname-kun. I'm sure Yuuki is just fine." The Chairman was puzzled by Kaname's distress. He knew Kaname cared deeply for Yuuki, but he wasn't sure why he seemed to be so worried all of the sudden. As a prefect, Yuuki was often somewhere roaming the campus alone.

Kaname could tell the Chairman wasn't concerned, but that was because he didn't have any reason to be. He didn't know about the uniform lying on the floor in the Moon Dorms. Kaname was deliberating on whether or not to tell the Chairman about the uniform when Seiren appeared in the open doorway. He and the Chairman both turned their attention to her.

"Kaname-sama..." she said as she bowed. "I have the information you requested."

"Thank you, Seiren. Would you excuse us a moment?"

"Of course, my lord," she said as she backed out of the doorway and walked down the sidewalk to wait for him.

Kaname turned back to the Chairman who was staring quizzically at him, but nevertheless with that carefree optimism that he was known for. Kaname decided then not to tell the Chairman. He didn't want him to worry unnecessarily, if he found Yuuki soon. Plus he didn't want him to think he had let things slide with the Night Class, afterall he was responsible for whatever happened as far as the vampires were concerned.

"Well, if Yuuki comes back, will you let me know at once?" Kaname asked.

"Of course, Kaname-kun. Like I said, I'm sure she will be back soon. Won't you wait here?"

"I'm afraid I can't. By the way, where is Kiryu?"

The Chairman's expression turned more serious as he spoke. "He had an assignment to take care of..."

"Ah, I see." Kaname suspected as much, but he wanted to be positive that Zero and Yuuki had not gone off somewhere. That still wouldn't explain the uniform, but nevertheless, he wanted to eliminate the possibility. His heart ached at the thought and he tried to push it from his mind, fearing he might lose what little control he had left. Kaname couldn't bear to imagine how it would feel to find Zero in the middle of sating his thirst with the blood of _his_ _willing _beloved.

He turned and headed out the door, leaving the Chairman disappointed that he would not stay and wait with him. "Maybe another time, Kaname-kun!" the Chairman called after him as he walked away.

Kaname met Seiren on the path back towards the academy. She appeared beside him, as he walked immersed in thought. "Kaname-sama, all Day Class students are accounted for with the exception of the prefects, but there are six students missing from the Night Class."

"Who are they?"

"Yamamoto-san, Nakamura-san, Toshida-san, Sasaki-san, Touya-san and Shiki-san."

Kaname immediately recognized Rima and Shiki, but doubted they were a part of Yuuki's disappearance. Of the other names, he wasn't so sure. He thought to himself as Seiren spoke again.

"Shiki-san and Touya-san are most likely working, but I do not know about the others. I will locate them, Kaname-sama."

She was gone in a flash, leaving Kaname once again to his thoughts. Thoughts that were now turning to a memory he had from earlier that evening after he had discovered the uniform. A memory of two girls at the end of the hallway laughing.

* * *

Shiki had hurried back to the academy, and as he was walking up to the Moon Dorms, he hoped he wasn't too late to catch Rima before she got herself into trouble. As he approached the doors of the dormitory, he was stopped by the old gatekeeper. "These dorms are under lockdown. No one enters and no one leaves," the old man told Shiki. His thoughts immediately turned to Rima and he wondered how much trouble she could've possibly gotten herself into.

Before he could ask the gatekeeper why the dorms were closed, Ruka came out the door in front of him. In her hand was a prefect's arm band. "Shiki? Where's Rima?" she asked.

He turned to her, anxious to figure out the answer to that same question himself. "I don't know, that's what I'm trying to find out. What's going on? Why are we on lockdown?"

"Kaname-sama has cancelled classes and no one is allowed in or out of the dorms because that prefect, Cross-san, is missing, along with Rima and four other Night Class girls. Is Rima at work?"

"No, she came back before me," he paused, thinking for a moment.

"Shiki...where is Rima?" Kaname asked as he came up behind him. Shiki and Ruka were caught off guard by his sudden presence.

"I don't know..." Shiki replied, growing more worried now that the dorm president seemed to be so involved.

Ruka stepped in front of Shiki and went toward Kaname. "Kaname-sama, I searched the missing students' rooms, and I found this in Nakamura-san and Toshida-san's room," she said as she presented him with the prefect's badge.

"Nakamura Kasumi-san and Toshida Hikari-san?" Shiki asked.

"Yeah," Ruka replied, she and Kaname both looked at him curiously.

"Those are friends of Rima's" Shiki said, answering the question that he could see was in their eyes.

Kaname sighed and looked down at the badge in his hand, stroking the emblem with his thumb. "So it would appear that Rima is with these girls and that they must have something to do with Yuuki's disappearance..."

Shiki still had a missing piece of the puzzle that he had not shared yet, but it was becoming more clear to him what might've happened and it didn't involve five bloodthirsty vampires preying upon a little human girl. More likely, it consisted of five, and now possibly six girls, had they shared with Yuuki, having a little bit too much fun somewhere where they wouldn't get caught. Somewhere off campus. And how better to get off campus than to drug a school guardian and take her with you..._Rima, what were you thinking?_

"Kaname-sama," Shiki started, "I think I might know what happened here tonight..."


	6. The Club and the Flub

The streets were filled to their usual Friday night capacity as the six girls walked through town. Yuuki's eyes were aglow as she took in all the colorful lights of the restaurants and shops lining the sidewalks, the lights taking on a new dimension from the effect the brownies still held over her. Music played in the street as it leaked from all the different shops and Yuuki danced as she walked alongside her five loopy companions.

"Guys, I'm ready to dance! Rima, what club is it that you said we should go to?" Hikari asked as she ate the last bite of her second brownie. The girls had taken the remaining brownies and ate them while they walked before throwing out the empty container in a trash can outside a cute little boutique.

"It's just around the corner, but I won't be caught dead in there with this ridiculous uniform on! We have to get some clothes!"

"Let's go in here. This stuff looks cute," Aiko suggested as she pointed to a deep purple mini dress in a window.

"Alright," Rima said as she looked around at the other girls. "Where is Yuuki?"

The girls frantically looked all around them before Megumi pointed out that Yuuki was already inside the store. "Yuuki, don't do that! We have to stay together!" Rima said as she walked briskly toward her.

"Look at this dress, Rima! Can I get this one?" Yuuki asked while she stared at the little black dress. It had cute little cap sleeves and the material was slightly iridescent. Yuuki looked as though she was hypnotized by the shining garment and Rima was sure it was going to be worse than Yuuki's fascination with her white skirt, but nevertheless she examined the dress.

"This dress is perfect, Yuuki," Rima said. "In fact, this brand is one of my agency's clients. I get an allowance to spend on their designs, so I get it for free."

"If I was capable of feeling hatred right now, I'd have to strangle you," Kasumi said. "Your job is just not fair!"

Rima laughed under her breath, she had to admit that she loved the many perks of her job, even if she did have to work in daylight hours. She could feel the effects of that last brownie starting to set in and she figured the others would be feeling it get stronger soon too. This whole idea might have been stupid, but it was starting to feel like one of the smartest things she had ever done.

"Ooh, look at this one, Rima!" Hikari said, finding a treasure of her own.

"Yuuki! What are you doing?" Rima heard Megumi furiously whispering. She looked back over at Yuuki to see that she was stripping down in the middle of the store to put on her new dress. She was down to her bra and skirt when Megumi, who happened to be the sanest one at that moment, grabbed Yuuki's arm in an instant and pulled her into one of the nearby dressing rooms just as the store associate was coming over to them. Yuuki squealed, but obliged. "Sorry about that," Megumi said to the sales girl as she eyed them sternly, then she rolled her eyes and headed back to whatever it was she was doing.

Kasumi, Hikari, Aiko, and Rima were laughing as Megumi looked over at them. She couldn't help but laugh herself. Yuuki really was crazy and she would never be able to take her seriously again after tonight. She closed the curtain back and turned around to see what Yuuki was up to now. Yuuki had gotten the dress on and Megumi was literally speechless. The dress was tiny and cute, but it was an afterthought compared to Yuuki's form beneath it. The little prefect actually looked...hot. The smooth sparkling fabric of the dress hugged Yuuki's body showing off her curves, curves that no one would have known existed. Her pale collarbone and smooth neck were accentuated by the square neckline and little off-the-shoulder cap sleeves. The only thing missing was some shoes to highlight her lean legs that were mostly bare due to the short length of the tight, black dress that only came halfway down her thighs.

"Wow...Yuuki, you look amazing! Wait right here, ok? I'm going to go find a pair of shoes real quick to complete this look," Megumi said excitedly as she carefully snuck around the curtain, careful not to reveal Yuuki to the other girls just yet. Yuuki was hardly paying attention, she was dancing to the music playing over the speaker in the dressing room.

Megumi returned with a pair of simple black wedges and set them down on the floor so Yuuki could step into them. "Damn, Yuuki. I have to say, girl, you look fine!" Megumi said pleased with her addition. "Hey, guys are you ready for this?" she asked as she poked her head out of the curtain.

Aiko had gotten her hands on that purple dress she liked and Kasumi had on an electric blue number with sparkling ribbon intricately laced up the back. "Wait, just a second!" she heard Rima call through the curtain of the dressing room adjoining Yuuki's. She could hear Hikari and Rima laughing behind the curtain and a big thump before Hikari spilled out of the dressing room onto the floor. She had on a short ruffled pink dress that clung close to her body as she reached for Kasumi to help pull her up off the floor. She was laughing so hard she could hardly stand. The sales girl was shooting them glances again from across the store, anxious for them to hurry up and leave.

Just then Rima emerged from the dressing room still laughing at Hikari. She was wearing a one shouldered silver dress that's sophisticated and modern design made it look like it was hot off the runway that night. Typical Rima. She had paired it with some strappy rocker chic heels, that made it even more obvious that she was not just any ordinary girl. She looked stunning.

Megumi, who was still in her Night Class uniform, felt severely underdressed, so she wanted to hurry and debut Yuuki so she could put on an unusual graphic looking orange dress she had her eye on. "Ok, may I present to you...hey, guys! Pay attention," she said as they giggled amongst themselves, "may I present Yuuki..." She pulled Yuuki, who was still in her own little trance dance world, out of the dressing room. All of the girls were drawn from their drug induced hysterics as they looked Yuuki over in her new look.

"Woah! Who knew that was under that god awful school uniform!" Kasumi exclaimed.

"Wow, Yuuki, I underestimated your sense of style," Rima confessed, not knowing that the prefect was capable of pulling off such a look.

"Awww, you guys are just too nice..." Yuuki swooned. "Who says vamp-"

Just as the word was spilling out of her mouth all the girls leapt forward to cover Yuuki's mouth. The sales girl had not let her attention leave them since Yuuki started to strip in the store and she was listening now as Yuuki spoke.

Yuuki stopped because of the girls' sudden reaction and then she started laughing again. "Oops!" she said as she went to cover her own mouth. Suddenly, she froze and stared up at the ceiling wide-eyed. "I LOVE THIS SONG!" she yelled forgetting everything. Then she proceeded to break into dance again, doing some risque moves in the middle of the store that would embarrass her if she was able to see herself later. The girls couldn't help but laugh some more.

Rima, sensing the growing unease of the cashier, went to pay for the dresses and a cute tote bag to carry all of their uniforms. "Ok, guys let's go!" she said, anxious to get to the club. They rang up the dresses and then filed out of the store into the energy of the street.

As they walked to the club, people stared at them in awe, not surprisingly, because five of them were vampires, but Yuuki looked like she was one of them, if not the prettiest one in the group. Her smooth, shiny brown hair caressing her shoulders as she traipsed down the sidewalk, her pale skin looking radiant in the glow of the neon signs surrounding them. Several guys stopped and pointed at them as they walked down the street. One of them even had the guts to stop Yuuki. He approached her from behind and tapped her shoulder. She was blissfully oblivious to his advances and just stared at him as if he was some fascinating alien life form.

"Hey, you know you are really beautiful. I was wondering if maybe you would like to go dancing with me?" he asked, losing confidence as Yuuki was suddenly flanked by five gorgeously ferocious looking girls.

"She's off limits," Rima said authoritatively. Then she grabbed Yuuki and the girls kept her in the center of their group as they continued to walk towards the entrance of the club. The last thing Rima needed was to lose her drugged and kidnapped hostage to some creep off the street, that was definitely among the list of things that could screw her over even more.

They got to the door and Rima led them past the line. She told the bouncer that the rest of the girls were with her and he graciously let them in. "Rima, you get prettier every time I see you, you know that?" he said as she walked in. The music was pounding and they immediately were lost in the sweet harmony flowing through their ears. Rima was definitely going to hit Akiko up for that recipe next time she saw him.

Yuuki's behavior was finally appropriate for the setting. It didn't take her but two seconds from the time she entered the door until she made her way to the dance floor. Rima battled her euphoria with the urge to keep Yuuki close, but she couldn't fight the chemicals in her body so she decided to relax and let the music take her. She could still see Yuuki and the other girls were right there too. Between the five of them they could keep an eye on her.

The girls were having so much fun as they danced under the glowing lights and moved to the rhythm of the music blaring from every corner of the dance floor. The fun was just beginning to start for them, daylight was still a few hours away, and they would have plenty of time to get Yuuki back. They would just erase her memory of that night and everything would go back to normal.

* * *

"Kaname-sama, I think I might know what happened here tonight..." Shiki paused nervously, trying to think of the best way to tell this to the pureblood vampire.

Before he could speak Seiren appeared with Aido and Kain following her. "Kaname-sama," she interrupted, "if the students were on campus we would have found them, shall I expand our search?"

"Just a moment, Seiren. Shiki was about to provide us with some information." Kaname replied turning his attention back to Shiki, who was even more nervous now because of his growing audience. Kaname was staring at Shiki expectantly, anxious to make sense of what had happened, so Shiki tried to formulate the words as quickly as he could.

"Well, I don't know how best to put this, so I'll just say it..." Shiki sighed.

"Kaname!" Ichijou interrupted as he came out the doors of the Moon Dorms. "I asked around the dorms and a couple of students said they saw Rima with the other missing girls and they said they seemed to be in a hurry. One of them even said that one of the girls was acting sort of strangely, they didn't get a good look at her, but they said they didn't recognize her even though she was in a Night Class uniform. Do you think that could've been Yuuki-chan?"

"That would explain the abandoned uniform, but why would a prefect pretend to be a Night Class student?" Kain asked as he ran his hand through his hair.

Kaname was examining the badge in his hand still as he thought to himself. The others around him just stood there waiting for him to speak. Kaname looked up and asked, "Shiki, what were you going to tell me?"

Now the situation was even worse. Shiki tried to find the words as Ruka, Kain, Aido, Ichijou, Seiren, and Kaname stared at him, waiting. The words spilled out of his mouth. "Um...someone gave Rima pot brownies and I think she and her friends might have tricked the prefect into eating them and snuck off campus," Shiki admitted. He was sort of making an assumption, but he knew Rima's friends and it wasn't that much of a stretch for that to be believable. Plus all the evidence pointed in that direction. He never knew that prefect to be the kind of girl to willingly do pot. He figured Kaname knew that too, which was really bad news for Rima because she was going to be in that much more trouble for dragging the innocent prefect into this whole mess.

Ruka scoffed in surprise, while Kain just sighed. Then Aido blurted out, "So they drugged Yuuki-chan and put her uniform in my room to frame me? What did I ever do to them?"

Shiki looked over at Kaname to see his reaction. The pureblood just stood there motionless. Shiki braced himself and internally winced when sound finally came from the dorm president's mouth. "Ichijou, take care of things here," was all he said though. Then he turned and walked away.

"Kaname? What are you going to do?" Ichijou called after him. The group of noble vampires just stood there surprised by their leader's actions. They didn't expect him to yell or to become outraged, but they certainly didn't expect him to be so calm. Shiki thought, as did the others, that his seeming indifference must mean that he was beyond infuriated. Shiki didn't want to get Rima in trouble, but he panicked and in the moment he thought telling Kaname was the right thing to do. Now he regretted it and feared for Rima's safety.

Shiki took off after Kaname, certain that whatever wrath the pureblood would unleash on Rima, he would defensively take the full force of in her place. With the exception of Ichijou, who was loyal to Kaname's instructions, the others followed Shiki and Kaname. They weren't sure what was going to happen, but they would be there to step in if necessary.


	7. Half Baked and Crystal Flakes

Rima had never felt so good before. It was so liberating for her, being free from the academy and free of every worry or care. She and her friends had been dancing nonstop since they arrived at the club. It was quite the city hotspot. Rima looked around her to see her friends all enjoying themselves too. Hikari and Megumi were lost in the beat dancing with a couple of guys that had found them on the dance floor, meanwhile Kasumi was getting the attention of several onlookers who were in awe of her dancing skills. Aiko was dancing beside her, but she was barely noticeable next to Kasumi. And then Yuuki was dancing just on the other side of them. Rima's gaze lingered on the prefect while she thought about how she didn't expect she would be this much fun. Rima caught herself thinking that she was glad Kasumi decided to be an idiot and drug the innocent human girl. Rima wondered if Yuuki would be this cool if she wasn't high, but then again after they erased her memories they would have no reason to try and be friends with her. She was surprised at the twinge of disappointment she felt at that thought.

Rima was still looking at her when she noticed a couple of guys surrounding Yuuki. She wasn't too out of it to see the predatory advances of these guys toward the innocent prefect. She watched carefully, trying to assess the threat when one of the guys, a tall dark haired one, put his hand around Yuuki's upper arm and started pulling her away from the dance floor. Rima didn't need an invitation. She started to push through the dancing bodies around her as she went after Yuuki.

"Kasumi!" Rima yelled, hoping to grab the attention of the other girls. If it wasn't for their heightened senses they wouldn't be able to hear one another over the blaring music, but Kasumi looked around for Rima and spotted her rushing toward one end of the dance floor. She got Aiko and Megumi and Hikari and they headed after Rima, confused but obedient.

As Rima was pursuing Yuuki, she saw the dark haired guy and his blonde haired friend turn their heads around to see if they were being followed. The blonde one met Rima's glare and then tapped his friend who had his hand possessively clasped around Yuuki's arm. He also turned and looked at Rima and then the two of them sped up trying to lose Rima in the crowd.

"Rima!" Kasumi called over the heads of some dancing couples. She was just a few paces behind Rima, the others following her. Rima didn't slow down, but Kasumi was able to catch up to her. "Rima? What's the matter?" she asked exasperated trying to be heard over the music.

"Two guys just took off with Yuuki! Right there! You see them? The blonde and the dark haired one!" Rima yelled back at Kasumi without letting her eyes leave the two guys and Yuuki. She could hear Kasumi telling the other girls as she saw the two human guys steal Yuuki away down a hallway. Why did they have to give Yuuki that many brownies? She was totally helpless!

"Come on! Hurry up!" Rima yelled back at them as she shuffled through the last group of people before she got to the hallway. She ran down the long passageway away from the blaring music of the club. She could see them pulling Yuuki around a corner at the end of the hall. Rima ran as fast as she could in her high heel shoes, fortunately for her she was used to wearing these kinds of shoes. She could hear her friends right behind her as the clacking of their heels echoed down the fluorescent lit hallway.

She slung herself around the corner and saw the guys drag Yuuki out the door at the end of the hallway and down some stairs into what appeared to be an alley. She pushed herself harder and busted out the door just seconds behind them, Kasumi, Hikari, Megumi, and Aiko right behind her. She was not expecting what was on the other side of that door.

The five girls were met by five more men standing around the exit, apparently waiting to cut them off. Rima looked past the barrier they formed to see the other two guys run off with Yuuki. The blonde had picked Yuuki up in his arms, and he and the other guy ran off laughing, leaving Rima and her friends at the mercy of these new enemies. Aiko backed up toward the door that they just came out of but the door had closed and locked behind them.

"So nice of you to join us ladies..." one of the men said as he strutted his tall and lean form closer to them at the base of the steps.

"Where are they taking her?" Rima asked, not in the mood for small talk.

"Oh, don't worry about her, besides I'm much more interested in getting to know you ladies." he said slyly. Just then another guy walked out of the shadows of the alley. He came up behind the five already there and Rima could tell he was in charge, not just because of the way the guys stepped out of his way and how their expressions changed from cocky to fearful, but because he was a vampire.

He walked to the center of the group before he spoke, "Yes, how lucky we are to run into you girls. To think we would seek out a delicious looking human girl and get five beautiful vampires as a bonus. I'm positive your blood will be much more satisfying than that weak little human's could ever hope to be. She's cute, but not as refined as you girls."

Rima was planning on how next to act. Every second that passed Yuuki would be harder to find. She thought she had enough concentration to call upon her powers, even though her mind was a blur with the residual effects of the brownies, the loss of Yuuki, and the consequences that were sure to follow if she didn't get her back. As she was thinking, the menacing vampire turned to his human flunkies and said, "If you all can keep this discovery to yourself, I will be willingly to share them with you."

"What the hell does that mean?" Kasumi erupted from behind Rima.

The ominous looking black haired vampire chuckled as he turned back to face them. "Exactly what it sounds like, my dear." He was very attractive for being so evil and he looked like he was in his twenties despite the fact there was no way they could tell how old he actually was. It was clear he was no Level E. His bangs hung down over his eyes as he looked through them and started speaking. "You see, in exchange for their help, my associate and I offer these humans our blood. As I'm sure you're aware, some humans that know of our existence have quite a taste for the benefits of a vampire's blood."

"Your associate?" Aiko questioned.

"Yes, that human girl will have the pleasure of meeting him. We have a collaborative system wherein we use these humans to bring us young girls to satisfy our needs," he said as he gestured toward the five guys that stood there waiting for his orders. "That way we don't have to get our hands dirty in their abductions and it makes it harder for certain parties to trace the disappearances to us. On the surface it appears that the kidnappings are something to be left to human jurisdiction, not connected to our kind at all, which generally eliminates the investigations of vampire authority, whether it be from a division of the council or the Hunter's Association. I'm sure we can agree that keeping _them_ in the dark is in all our best interest."

He walked closer to Rima. "Of course, the blood of our own kind is much more desirable, but how often is it that you meet a vampire willing to be a snack for another? Our blood is far too valuable to be shared. That's why I'm so delighted that I decided to come along tonight out of boredom. Otherwise, I'm afraid I wouldn't have had the opportunity to taste five different, young and beautiful vampires."

"Well, keep dreaming. I don't have any intention of letting you hurt any of my friends, the human included, so tell us where she is or I'll make you," Rima threatened.

He laughed under his breath, clearly amused by Rima's attitude. "Your friend? How interesting. I imagine if she was your 'friend' she wouldn't have been dancing alone in there. She was just so vulnerable and such an easy and adorable target I couldn't help but make her my prey. You see I thought she would make a delicious gift for _my _friend! Maybe you girls should take a lesson about friendship from me. I would love to be your new friend and show you how friends should be treated. I'll be very nice, I promise," he said as he made a final advance toward Rima.

Rima responded by generating enough electricity to shock the smirk right off his face and send him flying into the wall opposite her, his back smashing into the brick. "Go after Yuuki!" Rima exclaimed to the stunned Kasumi, Hikari, Megumi, and Aiko.

They immediately made a move to leave the alley in the direction Yuuki had been taken, but there escape attempt was thwarted. "Don't let them get away!" the vampire leader commanded his human underlings as he pulled himself up off the ground. "I like a challenge," he said as he looked at Rima, his eyes turning red. The human men grabbed Rima's four companions and restrained them. Rima knew they could do little to fight back because they didn't have the kind of abilities she did and it appeared these men had increased strength probably from blood they received previously. This was going to be difficult.

The greedy vampire advanced toward Rima once again, now with claws and fangs extended. He was determined to sink his teeth into her flesh. Suddenly, he leapt into the air descending down upon her. Rima braced herself for his attack trying to generate enough power to counterattack as he moved in what felt like slow motion above her.

One moment he was just feet from closing in on her and the next he was soaring backwards as a stream of blood retracted over where he was just milliseconds before. Rima, her friends, and their captors all watched as the vampire once again slammed back into the brick wall, this time making an even louder crash. Then Shiki appeared in front of Rima, his back to her as he prepared to face her enemy in her place.

"Shiki?" she gasped in surprise. At that same moment, Rima heard yelling as the humans that held Kasumi, Hikari, Megumi, and Aiko were slowly taken over by ice ascending up their legs. They released the girls and focused their energy on fighting the ice that threatened to overtake them as Aido appeared behind them. Ruka and Kain followed, clearly ready to assist.

Shiki's blood flowed freely as he extended it into a long enough ribbon to reach Rima's enemy, but the vampire darted out of the way before Shiki was able to inflict another blow. Shiki swung again, this time knocking the vampire's feet out from underneath of him. The black haired trouble maker quickly collected himself and sprung full force at Shiki, way too fast for Shiki to reel his powerful stream of blood into a defensive position.

It was unnecessary. Before the vampire was able to reach Shiki and Rima, he burst into crystal shards that quietly settled on the ground before them. The humans, still occupied with the ice restraining them, gasped in horror at the sudden demise of their leader. Rima looked behind them, knowing what was coming, but still hoping she was wrong.

Kaname emerged from the shadows before them, his eyes fading red from the deadly finale he just delivered. It was amazing how little energy he expended to not only eliminate anyone or thing, but to reduce everyone around him into intimidated subordinates. Rima didn't know what to expect, but she was afraid of how Kaname was going to react. It made her feel better that Shiki was here, but at the same time her punishment would be all the more embarrassing in front of Shiki and the others, that is if she lived long enough to feel embarrassment.

No one was sure who Kaname was speaking to, but they obeyed when he finally spoke. "Take them back to the academy," he said solemnly.

Kain and Aido collected Hikari and Megumi while Seiren and Ruka ushered Kasumi and Aiko toward the exit of the alley. Rima was surprised by the dorm president's lack of emotion. She was expecting to share the fate of the vampire that just exploded in front of her. But even more than shock at the pureblood's calm, Rima felt determined to find Yuuki herself. She was the one that got her into the mess and she had to clean it up. Shiki grabbed Rima's wrist and pulled her to him as he followed behind Ruka and Seiren. He was surprised by Kaname's leniency as well and didn't want to wait around for him to change his mind. He wanted to get Rima as far from Kaname as he could at this moment just as a precaution if nothing else.

"Wait! Kaname-sama, I want to find Yuuki!" Rima called to the pureblood as she struggled to free herself from Shiki's protective grip.

Kaname turned around slowly to reveal a set of re-ignited crimson eyes. The ground split before him and the chaos that the crumbling earth created advanced toward Rima at a dizzying speed.

"Kaname-sama! Don't!" Shiki yelled as he threw himself in front of Rima.

Rima grabbed Shiki's shoulders and pulled him against her, trying to pull him from harm's way. This is the kind of reaction she had expected from Kaname, but she didn't expect her own reaction. She felt like she was on the verge of tears as she helplessly clung to Shiki. She wished she had never opened her mouth, better yet she wished she had never taken those brownies in the first place. How quickly the high faded as this night went on.

Kaname's eyes dimmed as he looked at them and realized what he was doing. The jagged chunks of cement fell back to the ground and Kaname was reminded once again of his desperate lonliness as he looked at two people who were so clearly devoted to one another. His pain could only be remedied by one person, a person who could be taken away from him as he stood there not knowing how much time he had left to find her. He felt regret that he had acted so rashly toward Rima and caused Shiki to intervene, but he was still infuriated that she had put Yuuki in harm's way. He was incapable of feeling sympathy for anyone, Rima included. He turned away from Shiki and Rima and the others who were still watching in stunned silence.

Shiki turned back to face Rima and wrapped his arms around her trembling shoulders as he guided her out of the alley following once again behind Aido and Kain and Rima's remorseful friends.

Kaname was now alone with the humans that had kept Rima and her friends from pursuing Yuuki. He looked up at them, his powers aching for an outlet. They stopped their struggle against the ice Aido had left them trapped in and instead tried to be as motionless as possible. Their trepidation was written all over their shaking bodies, and no doubt they were silently regretting the day they ever got involved with vampires.

Kaname was more than ready to let go of his fragile control and part of him wished one of these brainless humans would give him an excuse to as he spoke, "Tell me what I want to know."


	8. Stranger Danger!

Zero walked down a dark street just on the outskirts of the city. A few blocks away he could see the lights and hear the sounds of the urban nightlife as it came into full swing with the setting sun. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled slip of paper.

He was standing on the sidewalk staring at a run down town home. He opened the slip of paper and read the address. He looked back up at the building. This was the right place, alright. He wondered why he even doubted himself. Didn't vampires always hide out in creepy, abandoned places such as this?

He cautiously stepped inside, the Bloody Rose held firmly in his hand. Adrenaline coursed in his veins like an old friend coming for a visit. It reminded him that he much preferred the Association's orders to kill vampires, rather than monitor them in their charade as moral, respectable beings.

He was always glad to eliminate the Level E's that polluted this world, but killing them, in their uncontrollable insanity, only gave him so much satisfaction. After all, the existence of a Level E was at least an honest one. They are the very heart of the vampire, tearing their pleasures from the flesh and blood of their victims. From their very beginning to their end, the Level E's pursue their cravings outright. They make no attempt to mask their true selves with that of a human façade.

It was the vampires who tried to blend in, tried to work their way into the human world like an insidious disease that he despised most. Waiting and pretending, only to strike when their prey was most vulnerable, when they had let their guard down thinking that they could trust a _vampire_.

The image of Kaname Kuran appeared in Zero's mind at that thought. The way he so gently reached for Yuuki, the way that pureblood had already so wittingly gained her trust and devotion. It sickened him.

Then a jolt of pain in his stomach. The image of his own fangs sinking into Yuuki's neck. Wasn't he someone she had also come to trust? He put his head into his hand trying to force himself to push the thought from his mind and focus on his job.

The Association had given him this assignment as a sign of faith in his abilities. Until now, he had just been assigned Level E's, but tonight's target was much more sinister, giving his blood to humans in exchange for their loyalty and offerings of young women from the city. A vampire so greedy in his bloodlust that he schemed and deceived and even eluded the Hunters Association for a while, all in an attempt to quench his insatiable thirst. Zero hoped that the elimination of this vampire would give him more vindication than the Level E's.

He walked into the center of the dimly lit foyer. It didn't look like anyone had inhabited this place in years. Nevertheless, he kept his guard up. He walked down the main hall making sure that his footsteps as well as his breathing were inaudible. He saw a flicker from the corner of his eye.

Zero turned toward it, walking into a room off the right of the hallway. It was a dining room. There was an old dusty table surrounded by a few chairs, some broken, others just haphazardly arranged. The wallpaper was torn and falling off the wall in some places. The wood floor was visibly warped, no doubt from water damage as there were large yellow stains on the ceiling.

Then he heard them. There was another doorway on the other side of the dining room from where Zero stood. It appeared to lead into the kitchen. Zero froze, listening intently. If he moved any closer the old floor might creak and reveal him, so he stood motionless.

"That girl we took tonight sure was cute. Too bad we had to hand her over to the boss," one of them said.

The other spoke up nervously, ignoring what the first had said. "What are we even doing here? Who does he think is following us?"

"I think the boss is just paranoid."

"Well, I don't. If he thinks something is up, I believe him."

"Don't worry about it. He said we were protected."

"Yeah, he said we _were _protected, but what if our protection has run out? What if the boss pissed off whoever was looking out for us?"

"I'd say we were screwed, but that really depends on who our benefactor is. How do we know that they ever had any power to look out for us in the first place?"

"I've never heard the boss say. I mean, hell, he won't even tell us _his _name. But I got a feeling it's one of the higher ups in whatever system of justice their kind has, you know what I mean? And quite frankly that scares the hell outta me, cuz if they have the power to turn a blind eye to our whole operation then they can probably just as easily take us down. Man, I think we are in way too deep…"

"Heh. Yeah? Well you just remember what the boss has done for us. Think about where you'd be right now if it wasn't for him."

"I know. You're right."

"Yeah, so let's just do what he says and wait and see if his suspicions are true."

_CREEEAAK! _Zero lost his footing as he listened to the very revealing conversation the two men were having and placed too much weight on one foot causing the floor to betray him. In an instant the two men were in the dining room standing before him. They had no weapons and they weren't vampires. Still, they didn't appear to be too concerned about that. They seemed to be relying on some invisible advantage. Zero assumed these were the humans that his target had in his employ, so their weapon was the strength they obtained from vampire blood.

Zero's assumptions were confirmed when one of them, the blonde haired one, moved the heavy oak table out of the way with a simple yet devastating flick of his hand. The table smashed into the wall. Now the only thing standing between Zero and the two degenerates was the Bloody Rose still grasped tightly in his hand.

Zero suddenly realized that because his opponents were not vampires, the Bloody Rose would be of little use to him. He was good at improvising though.

"We're not who you were expecting to find are we?" the blonde one asked, menacingly.

"No, you're not. But after I'm finished with you, I expect I'll find who I'm looking for," Zero replied.

"Well, we have something in common then, Gramps, nice hair by the way, what color is that? Geriatric grey? Senior silver?...heh. What was I saying? Oh yeah, we've got something in common. You have some questions for us, right? And we've got some questions for you. Tell you what: you answer ours…and…that's it. Whatta you say?"

"I say you should spend less time primping in the mirror, Goldilocks, and more time practicing your threats," Zero said, expressionless.

The dark haired one chuckled to himself before saying "Alright, enough chit chat. Who do you work for?"

Zero didn't answer. In a flash he had crossed the small distance between himself and the two men and grabbed the dark haired one by the arm and twisted it around his back and pinned him to the ground with his foot. It happened so quickly his comrade didn't even have time to react. Before the blonde could even blink, he was staring down the barrel of Zero's gun.

Zero was pretty sure the Bloody Rose wouldn't have an effect on these parasitic humans, but he doubted they were smart enough to know that. He could tell he was right too by the look in the guy's eyes. He was scared.

The one under Zero's foot pushed against his leg trying to get back up and Zero hit him in the side of the head with the handle of his gun, quickly pointing it back at the blonde's head after the other fell unconscious. "Where is the vampire you're working for?" Zero asked, impatient.

"I won't tell you. If I tell you, I'm dead anyway, so go ahead and shoot me," the blonde said nervously. "You think he's the only one I'm a liability to?"

"There's another?" Zero asked, controlling his surprise.

"Look man, I'm in this way deeper than I ever wanted to be. I'm a dead man."

"Then you might as well tell me everything you know. I might show you some mercy."

"Whether or not you show me any, I know they won't," the blonde replied, clearly afraid.

"_Who are they?" _Zero demanded, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him into the wall.

"I can't tell you who they are! I don't even know that! I can only tell you where one of them is. I don't know about the other. I swear!" he said, pleadingly. This man was crumbling before him, obviously afraid for his life, not from Zero, but from the vampires who he had just admitted to knowing.

"So there's just two?"

"Man, that's all I know. There could be more, but I don't know if there are."

"Tell me where the one is."

"There's a warehouse three streets over. You'll find him there. I'm telling you though, you don't stand a chance against this guy."

Zero just looked at him, not saying anything. The blonde started up again, "What are you going to do with me? I can't run from this guy, he will find me. So if it's a matter of him killing me or you killing me, I'd rather have you do it. You could just put a bullet through my head, quick and easy..."

"I'm not going to kill you," Zero said, sighing. He released his grip on the blonde and took a step back. The human looked at Zero with surprise and confusion, but only for a second. Zero took the Bloody Rose and knocked him over the head with it, sending his limp, unconscious body to the floor next to his friend. He would deal with them, but he needed to find the warehouse and take care of the vampire that lurked there first.

* * *

"Aren't you the most darling creature?" a menacing voice reached Yuuki's ears as she felt a hand touch her cheek. She felt so slow and disconnected as she tried to look for the source. She was sitting on a cold cement floor, dazed. She looked up and saw before her a man, with long black hair, smiling down at her. She didn't feel afraid even though she had the tiniest feeling somewhere in her mind that told her she should be. Despite that, she made no move away from him and instead, stared at him puzzled.

It seemed like he was moving in slow motion as he reached for her. Yuuki just watched, partly immobilized by her fascination with the strange man coming closer to her. Yuuki leaned her head back, a stunned "Woah" coming from her mouth as she did, surprised by the sudden closeness of his face to hers.

He let out a laugh. "You seem to have been having quite a fun night weren't you, my love? I'm sorry to have interrupted it, but I think we can continue the fun here."

Yuuki continued to stare at him as he knelt in front of her, his face even with hers, his hand sliding from her chin down her neck. Yuuki suddenly gasped in a moment of awareness. "Ah! You want to...are you trying to...woah, I don't know who you are, but...I think you've got the wrong...where _are _we? Haha. Did I leave the...with...you—wait, what about Rima?" Her mind was still a blur as she tried to form complete thoughts. She couldn't help it, she just felt so _light_. Everything was escaping her.

"Shhh..." the man crooned in her ear, his breath tickling the delicate skin of her neck. He moved down her neck smelling the scent of her.

"Are you a—a vamp—vampire?" Yuuki asked. She didn't know why, but she wanted to laugh. Wouldn't it just be too much if she were to get mixed up with _another _vampire? She tried to recall everyone she had been with earlier: Rima, Kasumi, some other girls she barely knew, right?

The man ignored her roaming thoughts and pulled her closer to him. Where she had once been sitting on her knees on the cold, cement floor, now she was pulled into the arms of this strange man and she felt something warm and wet slide against her neck as he pulled her into his chest. What the—? She felt the sleeve of her dress being slipped off her shoulder. Yuuki tried to pull away from him in confusion.

"Just relax. I won't bite...hard," he said.

"But—" Yuuki interjected.

Before she could protest, there was a loud crash as the only door to the room was blasted off its hinges by some unseen force. The black haired man, whose back was to the door, simply turned his head to face the noise, while still clutching Yuuki against his chest. Yuuki peered over the man's shoulder to see a dark figure enter the room. Even in a haze, Yuuki could easily recognize him.

"Kaname-senpai...?"


	9. Fluff 'N' Stuff

A/N: Here it is at long last: the final chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

For a moment Kaname thought he'd blown the door off the wrong room. He saw a black-haired vampire about to sink his teeth into a woman who was clearly out of his league. Kaname thought she couldn't possibly be in her right mind to consent to this guy, but he didn't have the time nor the inclination to play vigilante and save a score of damsels tonight from sleaze like this guy.

After a quick glance of the two, he intended to quickly move on, without apologies, to find Yuuki somewhere in the warehouse. If he had to blow the doors off every room and level the building to the ground, he would find her or there would be hell to pay. He had taken a step into the room and was about to walk back out leaving the couple to their tryst, when his eyes were drawn to the woman for a second glance.

His gaze trailed up the pale, naked flesh of her shapely legs to her trim and delicate form beneath a fitted, short black dress. Her bare, long arms hung feebly at her sides, arms that seemed all too familiar to him, as he'd longed for arms like those to hold him so often these days. Something inside him twinged. And then he saw her exposed neck as her hair was pulled back, and there was the shine of wetness on the skin as the fiend had primed her for the bite.

Kaname knew, but his mind needed an instant to catch up to the present. He . . . knew . . . _that . . . _neck.

How often he had contemplated it, finally being able to sink his teeth into it. That glorious moment that would satisfy his soul, that moment that would mean she was finally his, that she had returned to him. It was among the many things about his Yuuki that he admired when she was unaware of his eyes taking in the details of her, from afar, or when she spoke to him but would look away out of embarrassment; he had to admit to himself that the red in her cheeks only reminded him of what he longed for beneath the delicate skin of her neck as her short hair lightly brushed the spot in those instances.

But he had arrived in the present, and was now fully aware that the girl in that deviant's grip was _his_ Yuuki. A passionate fury boiled up inside him. This was personal. This was not an occasion to stand back and eliminate this parasitic scum with his omnipotence. To simply make him destroy himself by commanding the degenerate to remove his hands from Yuuki's body and violently turn them on himself wouldn't be enough, although Kaname could easily exercise that influence over him. No punishment by mind trick or manipulation of physical forces would satiate Kaname's burning need for retribution. No this was beyond retribution, he wanted this wretched creature to suffer slowly to his last breath for daring to even look upon Yuuki with that lustful intent, for putting his vile hands on her perfect form. He would show this pervert the true meaning of depravity.

All Kaname could focus on was removing the savage from his beloved. He would inspect Yuuki head to toe to make sure she was unscathed and then deal with him appropriately. There would be no escape from death for the barbarian, but if he had left a trace of his mere existence on the girl, whether it be a bruise or even his detestable scent, Kaname would exact his revenge more torturously than the devil himself could fathom.

In a flash, Kaname had crossed to the center of the room and ignited an aura of red hot fury into the formerly cold, stark surroundings with an echoing snap as he ripped the black-haired parasite's forearm from Yuuki's bare shoulder, crushing the bone with ease. The coward screamed out in pain and fell away from Yuuki, his body writhing in the floor.

Yuuki sat back on her hands, with a look that was a mixture of shock and confusion. She looked up at Kaname, whose eyes could not be torn from his victim and his mission, except by her voice alone. "Kaname-sama?" she spoke hesitantly.

Kaname looked at her, trying his hardest to soften his expression as not to frighten her, while simultaneously surveying her for damage.

"What are you—how did you find me?" she asked, puzzled. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?" she continued. "Kaname-sama, where are we? Who is that man?"

The sight of his love, even more helpless than usual, and clearly disoriented, sent a fresh wave of anger through him, anger at the source of her disorientation, anger at the carelessness with which she was left to become prey, anger at all of the things that were out of his control. He couldn't let Yuuki witness what he was going to do with her attacker.

"Wait here. Don't move," he instructed her, refocusing his attention on the vampire on the floor. He grabbed the yelping monster by his hair and dragged him from the room. Kaname didn't want to leave Yuuki alone for long, so he decided he would be . . . _efficient, _rather than quick, about this matter.

* * *

In a few minutes, he had returned to find Yuuki lying on the floor staring up at the ceiling. It was easy to clear his mind and heart of all the fury when he saw her like that. And that dress—she would have to put his coat on whether she was cold or not; she was far too . . . exposed.

Yuuki rolled her head to the side to see Kaname walking toward her. He knelt down on his knee beside her and lifted her up by her shoulders, replacing her small sleeve to its proper position—everything about her dress was small, and out of character for her, but Kaname wasn't altogether opposed to it. He took the opportunity to inspect her more closely, making sure she was unharmed.

"I'm so dizzy," he heard her soft voice break into his thoughts as he studied her legs.

Kaname propped her up against his knee and gently took her head into his hands. He looked deeply into her eyes and could see that she was still not herself. "What were you thinking, Yuuki?" he implored. "Do you know what you've done to me?"

He didn't expect her to respond to him; it was clear his words were most likely lost on her in her haze. Yuuki looked down at her hands. "I'm sorry, Kaname-sama," she said, sounding somewhat serious. This surprised him, but not as much as the laugh that came from her immediately after her apology. "I still don't even know how this happened, or _what_ even happened—where'd that creepy guy go?" she said through her nervous laughter.

"I mean one minute I'm at the academy and the next I'm stripping at a store . . ." she continued, still laughing. Kaname felt a flash of heat rise inside of him at that last part. Rima would be giving him a detailed account of the evening's events once he had returned Yuuki safely to the academy, that was for certain. "Kaname-sama, are you going to tell the headmaster . . . or _Zero? _Please don't tell Zero," she said trying to be serious, but falling back into a fit of laughter. "He will never, I mean _never _let me live this down . . ."

_Kiryu. _Zero had failed to prevent this. Association or not, this would have to be addressed. Yuuki would never do another dorm inspection alone, Kaname would make sure of that. However, he was glad that he was the one to find Yuuki and clean up this mess, rather than the hunter.

"What about you, Kaname-sama?" Yuuki rambled, as Kaname helped her stand up. Her heels caught his attention now. He wasn't sure how he felt about the dress or the shoes, maybe it was just that someone had taken her and dressed her without his permission and intended for him never to find out, the nerve. Kaname had to admit to himself that if Yuuki was ever going to dress this way, he wanted it to be for _him_, and should that occasion occur he would make sure that she was for his eyes only.

She continued to stare at him, biting her tongue and waiting for his reply while he wrapped his coat around her shoulders. "Can't you just do that memory erasing thing you do, but do it to yourself and just forget this ever happened?" she pleaded. Kaname chuckled to himself a little, as he was just about to perform that very technique on her and carry her back to the academy. Now he was rethinking it. This might be enjoyable, walking with Yuuki back to the academy. He had a feeling that the influence the drug still held over her might act as a truth serum, at the very least it had broken down the carefully reserved composure Yuuki usually tried to maintain in his presence. Now she was talking to him and laughing like he hadn't see her do since she was a child.

"You're mad aren't you?" she laughed, not being able to help herself. "You've got a temper don't you, Kaname-sama . . . haha! Like that time you slapped Aido-senpai! You were like _BAM! _and then he was boohooing . . . haha. I'm not sure I approve, but I'll make an exception for Aido. He usually deserves it, haha." Then she paused and tried to be serious again. "Are you going to slap me, Kaname-sama?" she asked, coyly.

Kaname didn't know how to react. This was a side of Yuuki he had not seen before. Was she criticizing him or . . . _flirting _with him? And if it was the latter, why would she choose to ask _that? _Was she trying to make _him _blush for once?

Kaname had often wished he could spend time alone with Yuuki, but this wasn't quite what he'd imagined. However, this could be interesting. She was mocking him, unabashedly. She would die if she could see this moment replayed for her tomorrow, and at that thought a smile pulled at the corners of Kaname's lips. He put his arm around her shoulders and ushered her from the room, choosing not to respond to her last question. It didn't matter; she continued to prattle on. Yes, he would let this all play out he decided.

* * *

Zero arrived at the warehouse that the vampire's underling had told him about. He didn't know what to expect, but there was a pretty good chance that if the creep was here there would be a fight. His best chance was to get the drop on him.

Zero found an open door on the back side of the building and slowly and quietly entered from the back alley way, the Bloody Rose at the ready in his hand. The warehouse was mostly bare. There was some old industrial equipment in an open area of the main room. He noticed some doors along a hallway that must have been offices. He figured that would be a good place to find this boss.

He didn't have to walk far before his finger twitched on the trigger of his gun. One of the office doors was blown clear off its hinges and lay crumpled in the darkened hall. He carefully approached the doorway before quickly stepping inside the room, aiming the Bloody Rose left to right as he scanned the area. There was no one. Just a desk and chair. The room was bare like everything else in the warehouse so far. Just as a precaution he walked around the desk before leaving the room. He wasn't sure, but he sensed that this room had been occupied not long ago. He walked further down the hallway, stepping over the crumpled door.

Then he picked up the distinct scent of blood as he walked down the hallway. He quickened his pace and turned around the corner at the end of the hallway. There was only one door at the end of this hallway and the scent of blood was much more potent now. Zero stepped carefully toward the door, flinging it open and rapidly making an entrance to catch the enemy off guard, but once again there was no one, at least not anymore.

The room looked like it was the set for a horror film. Blood was splattered on the floor, the ceiling, and all four walls of the empty room. In the center of the floor there was a large hole in the cement floor as if someone's head had been smashed into it. Indeed that's what Zero suspected had happened as the familiar dust of an eliminated vampire was scattered to one side of the hole. The final resting place of Zero's target.

But why did he not detect the blood until he was right up on it? With the amount of blood in this room, he should've been able to sense it a mile away. Any vampire in the area should've been able to sense it. Something was containing it. The Association had hunter spells that might be able to conceal the scent of blood for a time, but why would they assign this to him, if they were just going to send someone else? The only others capable of this kind of deception would be vampires, perhaps the higher-ups, maybe only a pureblood . . . _Kuran._

What business would he have with this? But then again when did Kuran ever mind his own business? Zero thought to himself even this seemed a little excessive for the pureblood, although he suspected Kuran had a penchant for the sadistic.

Something didn't add up here.

* * *

Kaname and Yuuki walked down the street slowly, enjoying each other's company. All of Kaname's stress had melted away now that he was with her. He enjoyed listening to her talk and laugh, and thought it particularly adorable when she would have a fleeting moment of clarity as her high faded and she realized how candid she was being and would apologize. But it went as fast as it came and she would resume her chatter and giggles. Kaname thought to himself that he'd like to believe that the effects of the drug had worn off long ago and that she was acting so familiar and comfortable with him now of her own volition, like she used to . . .

As the thought lingered in his mind, Yuuki bashfully, but determinately asked him if she could hold his hand. Kaname felt an outpouring of warmth in his heart spill over his whole body at her words, a phenomenon he hadn't experienced probably since the last time she had asked for his hand when she was a little girl. "Of course," he said, trying not to seem too eager, but silently hoping that those two simple words of consent would be infused with all the reassurance he could express to her that all of her demands of him would be met similarly, with delighted fervor. He presented his hand immediately and waited as she struggled to free hers from the long sleeve of his coat, which was swallowing her small frame, so that she could take his hand with her own.

Although his hand overwhelmed hers, the feeling of her small, warm hand firmly grasping his filled him with immense contentment. He never wanted this moment to end. He had a half a mind to abduct her for the second time that evening and never look back. How was he going to return to the academy and exact his authority and demand recompense from the delinquents who had afforded him this precious moment? How could he evoke the proper amount of fear from them so that they never crossed him again when he was so filled to the brim with delight? This moment would come to an end though, he answered himself. Yuuki would ultimately have no recollection of this night after he had properly restored her to the headmaster. Tomorrow, the distance that she put up between them to keep him away would return. And he would be left to add this night to his store of memories of her, relying on them to tide him over until the time when he could finally reclaim her as his own, if she wanted him too.

"Kaname-sama?" Yuuki's voice broke through to him again, as was so easy for it to do, reminding him that although this night would come to an end, it wasn't over yet.

"Yes?" he replied, failing to conceal the adoring intensity of his gaze. She was high, he reminded himself. She wouldn't remember this tomorrow even without him using his power to erase it. He could openly adore her all he wanted; it couldn't possibly confuse her anymore than she already was.

"This is nice," she said.

"This is glorious," Kaname corrected absentmindedly.

Yuuki laughed. His eyes never once left her face. He patiently waited, hanging on her words, watching how the different city lights made her face glow in incandescent beauty.

"Some people would say that's a _vampire _thing," she said, emphatically whispering the word "vampire" as if people were listening to them, despite the fact that they walked down a mostly empty street, "But I say it's a _you_ thing. It's a Kaname-sama thing. Everything about you is glorious," she mused, looking down to watch her step, another adorable tendency of hers; as if she would ever fall while he was there.

Although he didn't agree with her assessment, he couldn't deny the satisfaction he felt knowing that he was right about the truth serum effect. If it wasn't so rampantly egotistical, he would ask her outright exactly how she felt about him. He thought better of it though, reminding himself it was one thing to reveal his feelings to her. For him it was just a matter of timing. When the time was right, he would be able to tell her how he felt, if he could hold out that long. But if she didn't love him back, if there was someone else—regrettably, Zero came to mind—he would crumble. He wouldn't be able to go on.

"Kaname-sama, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that, I mean, it wasn't a lie, I just- it's just you seemed upset just now . . ." she said. One of her now more frequent sobering moments.

"No, Yuuki. Thank you for saying that. It makes me very happy. I just don't want this moment to end," Kaname replied, pulling her hand to his lips and placing a gentle kiss on her warm skin.

"Me either," she smiled. "I want to tell you so many things, Kaname-sama, but I always get scared to. Even now a little, even though I feel so good."

Kaname wanted her to tell him everything, but now he was afraid that those things she had to tell him were that she didn't love him, that she wished he would leave her alone, and that she feared him—after all she said she was scared to tell him.

"I don't want you to feel afraid of me, Yuuki," he said quietly.

"Oh no, Kaname-sama, I'm not afraid of you. I just get afraid of how you'll react if I told you these things," she trailed off, looking down at the sidewalk again.

He could easily understand that. He was afraid of how she would respond to him. He feared rejection most of all. Could that be her fear as well? He was too afraid to ask.

"I don't want to force you to do anything, Yuuki. I just want you to know that you can always come to me, that you can tell me anything, whenever you're ready," he said.

"Thank you, Kaname-sama."

They walked in silence for a moment or two, still hand and hand. Nothing could induce him to let go of her.

They were coming up to Cross Academy's gate now. Yuuki spoke then. "I'm so tired," she said as they stood in front of the gate. Still holding Kaname's hand, she looked up at him. "Kaname-sama, will you keep my secret, please?" she asked him, the drowsiness apparent in her voice.

"Of course."

Kaname used his free hand to brush her hair from her face. "If you'll keep my secret, Yuuki," he said as he held his hand over her forehead coaxing her into sleep.

"What's your secret, Kaname-s . a . . m . . . a?" she asked as she fell into him, relinquishing her hold on his hand.

He collected the sleeping girl into his arms and looked down at her peaceful face.

"You don't know it now, but once you were mine. I hope that you'll have me again. I love you, Yuuki," he said to the beautiful girl in his arms, but he knew the night was the only one who kept his secret.

* * *

Zero walked into the chairman's office dissatisfied.

"Ah, Zero-kun." The headmaster stood up at his desk and greeted him. "I didn't hear you come in, your mission must have been a success with skills like those! I know it's late, but I made you some dinner! You must eat it!"

The chairman's enthusiasm never died down, even at this hour.

"Someone beat me to it," Zero said plainly. "My target was brutally murdered before I even got to his _lair,_" he added sardonically.

The chairman sat back down at his desk, taking a more professional attitude, to Zero's relief. Zero went on to tell him about the humans he got the information from and how he handed them over to the Association after discovering the odd massacre of his target.

"Maybe the interrogation of those idiots I turned over will give us a lead into who's really behind all this," Zero continued.

"You think it doesn't end with the two that the man told you about?" the chairman questioned.

"I wouldn't be surprised if this went straight up to the vampire council. Those beasts would jump at the chance to do a little under the table trafficking. Their greed doesn't end with bloodlust. Money, power, they want it all," said Zero. "I think that these guys just stepped out of line and got eliminated. They'll be replaced and more lives will be lost as long as the vampires keep up the charade of an _organized _government," he spat.

"I'd be careful when casting stones, Zero," a voice said from behind. _Kuran. _"The Association should look in the mirror before anyone throws out an accusation like that one. A careless mistake like that could cost even more lives, and I think you'd agree that enough blood has been spilled."

"Kaname-kun?"

"I hope you'll forgive my intrusion, Chairman. I let myself in seeing as I was returning Yuuki," Kuran said, ignoring Zero like he was a pesky child.

"Ah, yes I heard you found her! I was worried and started to look for her myself earlier, but I came across Takuma-kun, who told me that you had found Yuuki sleeping under a tree—the poor thing—and that she was determined to finish her inspection and report, and would be home afterward. I hope she finished. There must have been a number of things to report if she was out this late, Kaname-kun," the chairman said with a familiar smirk.

"Yuuki was missing?" Zero interrupted. "Figures without me here, she'd slack off and then try to pin it on me when the work doesn't get done" Zero said, mostly to himself.

"It's all been handled," Kuran continued, ignoring Zero. "But I'm afraid Yuuki was completely worn out so I escorted her here, seeing as it is inappropriate for me to see her to her room in the Day Class dorms."

"Very thoughtful of you, Kaname-kun, as usual," the chairman said with a smile.

Yeah, thoughtful, Zero wondered. Something wasn't right here either. Yuuki had gone missing, an incident that somehow warranted the Night Class president's involvement? Yuuki getting involved in this sort of thing wasn't completely out of the realm of possibilities, as Zero remembered saving her ass countless times before. But what did Kuran mean by that mirror comment?

"Kuran, don't play your games with me. You know exactly what happened tonight, don't you? It was you wasn't it? You killed that vampire." Zero turned on the pureblood.

"Zero-kun-" the chairman interjected.

"It's fine, Chairman. In the spirit of peaceful co-existence, it's only natural to share information," Kuran started. "Yes, I know about your assignment, Kiryu. The council apprehended a group of humans tonight that they learned were affiliated with your target's partner. I take it you didn't know there was more than one party involved in this when the Association sent you out on your leash."

Zero bit his tongue at the insult, but refused to let the pureblood get a rise out of him.

Kuran went on, "When the council learned the details of their operation they dispatched some constituents to handle the issue. As to your implication that I had some part in the execution of the criminals, I can only imagine that is a result of your blind distrust of those whom your _expedient _organization claim they want to coexist with. Again, I suggest to you, Kiryu, that you question the hand that feeds you before you lay accusations on the food the hand gives you."

"Once more, I apologize for the intrusion, Chairman. Yuuki is safe in her bed, so if there is nothing else I will return to overseeing the Night Class," Kuran finished, without waiting for Zero to respond.

Zero fought back the urge to point the Bloody Rose at the pureblood's head; he was sure Kuran would be expecting that. Everything made sense to him now, the creeps trafficking human girls, Yuuki's disappearance, Kuran's involvement, and now the arrogant bastard was suggesting that the Association were the ones protecting those parasites he was assigned tonight, suggesting that the president of the Association was ordering him to cover up their digression with a standard assassination mandate.

Kuran would know all about cover-ups, though. Corruption was standard fare for his kind. But the Hunter's Association was solid. They had to be. Kuran could believe whatever he wanted to believe, because when his name appeared on the assassination list, Zero would be the first to volunteer to take him out.

Kuran and the chairman exchanged pleasantries and then Kuran was gone, with a pretentious nod in Zero's direction as he left the chairman's office, leaving Zero to steam over the whole evening.

Once the chairman and the pureblood were out of sight, Zero walked out of the office toward Yuuki's bedroom. If anything had happened to her, Kuran was probably careful to erase all the evidence, but Zero would look in on her anyway.

* * *

Kaname walked the path back to the moon dorms steeped in thought. All was taken care of he reassured himself. Seiren had taken the humans from the alley way earlier to the council. They would be dealt with.

When he had arrived at the moon dorms with the sleeping Yuuki in his arms, he had taken her to his bedroom to keep her safe while he had Ichijou bring Rima and her friends to him with Yuuki's uniform. Kaname had stood outside of his bedroom and waited for the girls to dress Yuuki back in her uniform, badge and all, before he took her to the chairman's house.

He was sure he hadn't missed a thing. Zero was merely a trifle. He could handle him. Kaname probably wouldn't have to do anything; Zero would keep a tighter watch on Yuuki now just so that he might find a way of incriminating Kaname in the future, that and Kaname knew Zero harbored feelings for her. A thought he tried to push from his mind. Not tonight, he told himself. He would only think of the time he spent with Yuuki tonight and not let anything else invade his thoughts of those precious moments.

Kaname didn't have any intention of ordering the Night Class to resume classes. He simply wanted to return to his room.

No one approached him when he entered the moon dorms. He had yet to address the matter of punishment for the five Night Class girls that caused all this in the first place. They were no doubt hiding in their rooms, trying not to remind the dorm president that they were awaiting their penalty.

Kaname closed the large wood doors to his bedroom behind him. One of the doors still bore the crack where he had fractured it earlier in his frustration. He walked toward the sofa beneath the large windows, but the moonlight streaming into the room called his attention to the little black garment draped over the end of his bed, the shoes haphazardly thrown on the floor at the foot of the bed.

Kaname took the dress into his hands and up to his face. He breathed in the lingering scent there, _her _sweet scent. Kaname's heart ached once more, thinking of his Yuuki and how long he'd have to wait before he could be with her again like he was tonight.

The pureblood collapsed onto his bed, the dress still pressed to his face. It was night, but he suddenly found himself exhausted. He drifted to sleep thinking of Yuuki, his steady, quiet breathing aided by the comforting aroma of the dress.

His last thoughts before sinking into dreams were that he would keep the dress and one day, hopefully one day soon, show it to Yuuki and tell her about this night.

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed my story, and particularly all the fluff in this last chapter. Please review and let me know what you think!


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